Cruising NOLA 1st time help!

[BrezQ]

Hi all,  I'll apologize right off, for starting a new thread, but I couldn't find anything too current. It's our FIRST TIME going to and cruising out of NOLA.

 

We are flying in, and will not have a car, so no need for parking.

 

Will stay 1 night before cruise and a few nights after cruise to see the city!! 

 

Looking for any/all tips and suggestions as to where to sty (what part and/or hotels) So looking for NOLA advise! good places to check out, great bars to go to? Hotels?? cruise tips?? anything??? 

 

Thanks for not yelling at me for starting a new post ❤️ LOL

 

KB

[Buckimion]

A favorite of many is the Hilton Riverside which connects to the Riverwalk Mall and is very doable stroll to the cruise port, although YMMV. Some prefer to be closer to the bustle of the French Quarter. Budget-minded can sometimes find the Hilton Garden Inn Convention Center for around $100/night on weekends.

[dctravel]

The cruise port is very close to all of the major attractions in NOLA. You could stay in the FQ just as easily as near the convention center the night before your cruise. Either can be a short cab or Uber/Lyft ride to the port.

 

For after your cruise, I would stay in the FQ or the Central Business district. Trip Adviser is a great place to get advice on specific hotels. While not a small hotel, my personal favorite is the Sheraton New Orleans on Canal Street. It is directly across from the FQ, has New Orleans charm, but also has big hotel amenities. I have also enjoyed the Hampton Inn on Carondelet and the Omni Royal Orleans. You should also consider the Hotel Monteleone, if it is in your budget. It is a classic hotel on my favorite street (Royal) in the FQ.

 

dctravel

[Sand and Seas]

Try the streetcar system to get you to some different parts of the city.  Inexpensive and easy to use.  One of our favorite excursions was the streetcar to the Garden District where we walked all over and saw some beautiful historic mansions.    You can google New Orleans street car or New Orleans walking map and find some interesting sights to see.

[grandmarnnurse]

On 4/22/2019 at 12:09 PM, BrezQ said:

Hi all,  I'll apologize right off, for starting a new thread, but I couldn't find anything too current. It's our FIRST TIME going to and cruising out of NOLA.

 

We are flying in, and will not have a car, so no need for parking.

 

Will stay 1 night before cruise and a few nights after cruise to see the city!! 

 

Looking for any/all tips and suggestions as to where to sty (what part and/or hotels) So looking for NOLA advise! good places to check out, great bars to go to? Hotels?? cruise tips?? anything??? 

 

Thanks for not yelling at me for starting a new post ❤️ LOL

 

KB

I, too, will be sailing out of NOLA for the first time in February, and appreciate any input. We will fly in two days prior, so plan to see the sights. How far is the port from the French Quarter area? Is it reasonable enough to use a taxi, or is a shuttle recommended. We are traveling with family, and they often use Uber. That is something we have never done, and are leary about doing so. 

[beaucajun]

52 minutes ago, grandmarnnurse said:

I, too, will be sailing out of NOLA for the first time in February, and appreciate any input. We will fly in two days prior, so plan to see the sights. How far is the port from the French Quarter area? Is it reasonable enough to use a taxi, or is a shuttle recommended. We are traveling with family, and they often use Uber. That is something we have never done, and are leary about doing so. 

From the edge of the Quarter to the cruise terminal is about 6 blocks.  Middle of the Quarter another 8 or so blocks.  If you're staying in the Quarter a taxi or Uber/Lyft would be your best option.

[grandmarnnurse]

I booked our hotel. It is the Courtyard by Marriot in French Quarter on Iberville St. I heard (from the hotel) that it will be a $33 taxi ride from MSY to hotel. Hotel does not offer any free airport shuttle. So, it looks like taxi for us from MSY to hotel and hotel to port. We’ve never tried Uber or Lyft. 

[AIRBUSDRIVER]

Do yourself a favor and download the uber/lyft app onto your phone.  It is cleaner, safer and half the price.  No more smelly cabs or questionable drivers.  UBER/LYFT drivers are rated on their service and performance so good incentive for them to get a steady stream of fares.  Over 100 uber rides and every one of them has been 100% satisfaction for us.  

[canes20]

We are also going out of NOLA for the first time in September. We will be driving but looking for hotel with cruise and park package with round trip transportation. Any suggestions? Thanks and apologize for riding this post.

[zirka]

canes20.....we have  stayed at the Holiday Inn Superdome using their cruise/park package. There is not transportation to cruise port, but taxi wasn't too expensive. We have also stayed out by the airport and then parked in the Fulton Place garage. That has been my favorite way to do things as we were in our car and heading home by 730am.

[dctravel]

On 4/28/2019 at 3:30 PM, grandmarnnurse said:

I booked our hotel. It is the Courtyard by Marriot in French Quarter on Iberville St. I heard (from the hotel) that it will be a $33 taxi ride from MSY to hotel. Hotel does not offer any free airport shuttle. So, it looks like taxi for us from MSY to hotel and hotel to port. We’ve never tried Uber or Lyft. 

The $33 from MSY to your hotel is for one or two people. If you have more than that in your party (3 or 4), then it is $15 pp. From the hotels to the port should be about $8pp. No hotels in New Orleans proper, that i'm aware of, offer an airport shuttle and very few offer port shuttles.

[grandmarnnurse]

1 hour ago, dctravel said:

The $33 from MSY to your hotel is for one or two people. If you have more than that in your party (3 or 4), then it is $15 pp. From the hotels to the port should be about $8pp. No hotels in New Orleans proper, that i'm aware of, offer an airport shuttle and very few offer port shuttles.

Just my hubby and me, so $33 is fine. 

[Bestbubba]

We are just back from our first trip to New Orleans. We loved it! We stayed at the Hotel Mazarin on Bienville Street in the FQ. Cannot recommend this hotel highly enough, it was wonderful, everything we had always imagined a FQ hotel to be. Check out the reviews, just posted ours, 5* without doubt. We arrived on the American Queen Steamboat and got an Uber to the hotel. Cost $7. As an earlier poster suggested, download the Uber app, what a brilliant service we received in both Memphis pre cruise and NOLA post cruise. 

[Mim Lloyd]

2 hours ago, Bestbubba said:

We are just back from our first trip to New Orleans. We loved it! We stayed at the Hotel Mazarin on Bienville Street in the FQ. Cannot recommend this hotel highly enough, it was wonderful, everything we had always imagined a FQ hotel to be. Check out the reviews, just posted ours, 5* without doubt. We arrived on the American Queen Steamboat and got an Uber to the hotel. Cost $7. As an earlier poster suggested, download the Uber app, what a brilliant service we received in both Memphis pre cruise and NOLA post cruise. 

I'm British too and will be sailing out of New Orleans in January 2020. I've got the Uber app, so we can use it when outside the UK too?

[Bestbubba]

1 hour ago, Mim Lloyd said:

I'm British too and will be sailing out of New Orleans in January 2020. I've got the Uber app, so we can use it when outside the UK too?

Absolutely! It worked like a dream in the US. We thought it might get confused because we used it to get from our airport hotel to Heathrow in the morning and then a few hours later used it in Memphis.... It's obviously cleverer than we thought! Have a great trip. 

Sue 

[dctravel]

20 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

Just my hubby and me, so $33 is fine. 

As an FYI, I misspoke about price. The cab is $36 for one or two people: http://www.flymsy.com/groundtransportation.

 

Sorry about that!

 

dctravel

[Mim Lloyd]

7 hours ago, Bestbubba said:

Absolutely! It worked like a dream in the US. We thought it might get confused because we used it to get from our airport hotel to Heathrow in the morning and then a few hours later used it in Memphis.... It's obviously cleverer than we thought! Have a great trip. 

Sue 

Thanks so much, this is good to know!

[coldinkansas]

On 5/10/2019 at 6:34 PM, canes20 said:

We are also going out of NOLA for the first time in September. We will be driving but looking for hotel with cruise and park package with round trip transportation. Any suggestions? Thanks and apologize for riding this post.

We Stayed at the Prytania Park last time in NO. It is in the Garden district and we used the Street Car for transportation into the French Quarter. It was a great little hotel that really is New Orleans style, Breakfast in the courtyard and very quaint. We parked for the cruise at Fulton Place and have used them several time and will use them again when in New Orleans.

[canes20]

1 hour ago, coldinkansas said:

We Stayed at the Prytania Park last time in NO. It is in the Garden district and we used the Street Car for transportation into the French Quarter. It was a great little hotel that really is New Orleans style, Breakfast in the courtyard and very quaint. We parked for the cruise at Fulton Place and have used them several time and will use them again when in New Orleans.

Do you park and have to walk or do they have a shuttle to and from the ship?

[SuiteTraveler]

21 hours ago, canes20 said:

Do you park and have to walk or do they have a shuttle to and from the ship?

 

You have to stay 2 nights at the Prytania Park in order to leave your car there for the cruise and max cruise parking is 7 nights.  This is a 12 room B&B.  They don't mention a shuttle to the port.  It is in the Garden District, so it is NOT walking distance to the cruise port.  Here are the closest hotels that offer free cruise parking:

Wyndham New Orleans - French Quarter

Holiday Inn - Downtown Superdome

Maison St. Charles  - Garden District

Prytania Park - Garden District

 

If you want free breakfast as well, you would need to stay someplace further away such as Comfort Suites Harvey - New Orleans.

 

This is JMO, but I would much rather stay in the French Quarter due to the restaurants, shopping and entertainment in the area so I would pick the Wyndham.  

 

 

 

 

[grandmarnnurse]

2 minutes ago, SuiteTraveler said:

 

You have to stay 2 nights at the Prytania Park in order to leave your car there for the cruise and max cruise parking is 7 nights.  This is a 12 room B&B.  They don't mention a shuttle to the port.  It is in the Garden District, so it is NOT walking distance to the cruise port.  Here are the closest hotels that offer free cruise parking:

Wyndham New Orleans - French Quarter

Holiday Inn - Downtown Superdome

Maison St. Charles  - Garden District

Prytania Park - Garden District

 

If you want free breakfast as well, you would need to stay someplace further away such as Comfort Suites Harvey - New Orleans.

 

This is JMO, but I would much rather stay in the French Quarter due to the restaurants, shopping and entertainment in the area so I would pick the Wyndham.  

 

 

 

 

We chose our hotel for its close proximity to all the restaurants and bars. We will be at a Courtyard by Marriott in the French Quarter. I was quite surprised they didn’t offer a free breakfast, though. Oh, well, that gives me a chance to try a beignet. 😎

[SuiteTraveler]

On 4/22/2019 at 11:09 AM, BrezQ said:

Hi all,  I'll apologize right off, for starting a new thread, but I couldn't find anything too current. It's our FIRST TIME going to and cruising out of NOLA.

 

We are flying in, and will not have a car, so no need for parking.

 

Will stay 1 night before cruise and a few nights after cruise to see the city!! 

 

Looking for any/all tips and suggestions as to where to sty (what part and/or hotels) So looking for NOLA advise! good places to check out, great bars to go to? Hotels?? cruise tips?? anything??? 

 

Thanks for not yelling at me for starting a new post ❤️ LOL

 

KB

 

I've been visiting NOLA since I was a child.  My favorite hotel is the Hotel Monteleone - get an executive suite if you can - it is fabulous!  Be sure to eat in the hotel restaurant for breakfast and pay a visit to the world famous Carousel bar.  https://hotelmonteleone.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxMjnBRCtARIsAGwWnBMsxfbdE5HnyolP-ui6-Y81igAN6cMH620X4RzGzLN4AYJHMh1eQT4aApAPEALw_wcB

 

All that the French Quarter has to offer is just a short walk outside the hotel door.  However, taxis and pedal cabs are available all over the French Quarter and most rides are very inexpensive.

 

My advice is to try one of the classic NOLA restaurants.  I think Arnauds is one of the best - https://www.arnaudsrestaurant.com Definitely try the gumbo and the Ponchatrain fish is outstanding.  Cap off dinner with Cafe Brulot!  Other classic restaurants include: Brennan's, Gallatoires, Acme Oyster House, Court of 2 Sisters.  Then try one of the newer restaurants. Right now I'm in love with J.W. Finn's.  I also love August. Make restaurant reservations - they are a must in NOLA - even for brunch at Brennan's.

 

Go down to Decatur street in front of St. Louis Cathedral and take a carriage ride around the French quarter so you will get the lay of the land.   The Mardi Gras Float museum is very interesting.  The zoo and aquarium are great.  There are some great cemetery tours and voodoo tours and haunted tours.  Spend at least one night checking out music along Bourbon St.  There are also some Plantation homes near New Orleans, and you can take a bus tour to see them.  The hotel concierge will help you.

[SuiteTraveler]

12 minutes ago, grandmarnnurse said:

We chose our hotel for its close proximity to all the restaurants and bars. We will be at a Courtyard by Marriott in the French Quarter. I was quite surprised they didn’t offer a free breakfast, though. Oh, well, that gives me a chance to try a beignet. 😎

 

I think it is because the French Quarter is all about the restaurants.  If you are going to Cafe du Monde, be sure to get there at an off time as it is usually mobbed with a long line at traditional meal times.  Last time I went with my SIL and I think we arrived at 10:45 and got in immediately but by 11, there was a massive line.  However there is tons of shopping in the area, so you can kind of keep an eye on the line and go when it is shorter.

[grandmarnnurse]

22 minutes ago, SuiteTraveler said:

 

I think it is because the French Quarter is all about the restaurants.  If you are going to Cafe du Monde, be sure to get there at an off time as it is usually mobbed with a long line at traditional meal times.  Last time I went with my SIL and I think we arrived at 10:45 and got in immediately but by 11, there was a massive line.  However there is tons of shopping in the area, so you can kind of keep an eye on the line and go when it is shorter.

Thank you for the heads up! 👍

[SFCanuck]

Thanks for all the great info on this thread!

 

I am also cruising out of NOLA for the first time this September. I am flying into NOLA the day before departure and have a reservation at the Hilton Riverside. Post cruise, I have a reservation at the Hampton on Cardonlet for 2 nights.

I have been to NOLA a couple times for business and was shown the sights and food highlights as my work scheduled allowed (evenings and a random weekend).

This trip I am traveling with my mother (78 years old, mobile but slow), who has not been to NOLA previously.

 

Looking for some suggestions for self-guided walking tours, possibly good spots to exit from the trolley for a short stroll, resturant recommendations (I'll try anything pretty much, but Mom has a more limited range when it comes to cuisine in general -- other than a major sweet tooth, nothing too pricy, spicy or exotic).